Over the Water
by Kalidreamine
Summary: Rin is the princess of her kingdom-an island that rests over the water, in the bay of a nearby kingdom. Len is a prince who lives on the mainland-Rin's neighboring kingdom. When misunderstandings arise, a war breaks out between the two of them and their armies, sending hate all over the water. But when will Rin and Len realize that they have gone blind to each other in hate?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

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**The Leak of Death**

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**Rin's POV:**

I sat at the royal dining table, moving my fork of food to my mouth only occasionally. Angry tears streamed silently down my cheeks as I attempted to eat my dinner, blurring my vision. Only my royal head maid, Luka, had noticed my tears.

"Your highness, what would be troubling you today?" Luka asked me politely while curtsying down low to the ground.

"Luka, I requested you to address me by my own name. 'Your highness' is much too formal for your level in the kingdom. And I have tried to remind you time and time again-I dislike people curtsying and bowing to me when asking such simple questions. It annoys me, Luka." I managed to spit out some words through my silent tears.

"Yes, _Rin._ If you wish," Luka replied immediately, stressing my name. "What is troubling you today, Rin?" Luka stood up from her curtsy promptly.

"I have heard news of my father's recent condition." I sniffled quietly.

"Ah, yes?" Luka was pretending, obviously. Nobody could lie to me.

"What do you know about this?" I questioned Luka gently.

"He's-I've heard... I..." Luka stammered, uncertain of what to say.

"Is he well? How is he doing? Is he recovered now from his illness?" I inquired Luka, concerned.

"I-uh...Well... he's..." She still couldn't complete half a sentence.

"Yes?" I waited patiently for an answer from Luka.

"He's not suffering...Your father has been better these days..." Luka rubbed her forehead nervously, unsure of how to respond.

A common maid walked by my dinner seat and blurted out the obvious news. "He's dead," she said plainly, unsurprised and bored by the news, strutting swiftly away.

Luka seemed to find her lost voice then. "Is that what was troubling you?"

"What?" I asked Luka again.

"You father has passed-is that what you were mourning over?" she wondered aloud to me, seeming to ponder the thought.

"No." I firmly replied to Luka, my tears finally having dissipated, replaced by seriousness.

"Then...what..." Luka sounded confused.

"I am angry. I am crying upset tears, not tears of grief for my father's unfortunate demise."

Luka didn't respond to my statement, but just stood there instead and continued to wait for me to continue speaking, paying attention to me.

"I know my father has been assassinated by the neighboring kingdom. Have us meet with them tomorrow, Luka. Arrange a ship for me. I will speak to the ruler's messenger. I do not wish to meet the ruler who so plainly killed my father, or gave orders to do so."

"Yes, Rin. It appears that the information of your father's death has leaked out, reaching you. I assume that we will be holding the funeral after we return?"

"Yes. We shall stay on the mainland for one week to settle this problem. And please inform the mainland of my arrival in advance."

Luka also worked as my cook, my assistance lady, my chaperone, and my guardian as well when my father went away on a trip for business. Now that I had lost my father to death, Luka now posed as a kind of guardian to me.

"And, Luka?"

"Yes?"

"What is the name of the ruler of the mainland bay?"

"Len Kagamine, Rin."

"Thank you, Luka. You may go now." I promptly dismissed her with a wave of my right hand.

Luka rushed swiftly away, her pink hair trailing behind her as she went. I left the table, which still had full dishes of food on it and my half-eaten meal,ordered a maid to clean it up, then walked to my quarters all by myself. I usually had an escort who walked me around the castle, but he had to attend to preparing my ship for today.

I dressed myself after taking a bath by myself, as Luka still had to help organize my trip, and slid into my covers in my bed. I gazed at the ceiling before drifting off into a dreamless sleep. Not only would I meet with the ruler's messenger, but I would pay a little secret visit to the ruler as well.

"Rin! We must depart early! The trip will take several hours, and we shall arrive by afternoon!"

My eyes popped open, and I yanked myself out of bed, letting Luka dress me for my journey. Before I knew it, I had boarded the ship and bid farewell to all the nice commoners in my kingdom. Kindness and politeness existed as the commoners' main morals. I loved my people.

Our ship set off towards the mainland, soon leaving behind the vast shore of my kingdom island. It disappeared from sight altogether later on, signaling that we had been moving rather quickly. The ship had been designed by one of my best engineers, containing advanced, new, never-before-seen mechanical parts, allowing it to run on steam. Marvelous was the word to describe my engineer and his designs.

_Time skip_

I stepped easily off the ship onto the mainland docks. The town had no bustling and busy crowds, but citizens walked about the area, enjoying themselves amongst each other. I scanned the large docks for the mainland bay ruler's right-hand man. His close friend, assistant, and a partner who almost was a brother to the ruler. _Rei Kagene._

A flash of amber caught my eyes, and I turned to find the bearer of that color. I found myself staring into the golden-amber eyes of the most handsome boy I had ever seen. Black hair, a tall figure, and a warm smile instantly made my heart flutter. He wore simple clothes that looked like they were peasants' garments, but he clearly looked like he was comfortable in them. For a moment, I had forgotten why I had been standing where I was.

I snapped myself back to reality suddenly and tried to stop myself from ogling the boy, tearing my gaze away only to have it later return to him every time. Luka noticed I had been acting strange and asked me if I was feeling well. I dismissed her question with a simple nod and turned back to look at the boy, but only, this time, he was inches away from me. I could smell him and hear him breathe.

I yelped like a little girl and jumped away, getting a minor heart attack. I clutched my chest tightly and took a deep breath.

I regained my composture and stepped confidently towards the charming boy. I stood a few inches shorter than him, and he had the sweet and rather pleasant smell of vanilla lingering around him, for some strange reason.

The boy spoke aloud to me in a kind, gentle voice. "Are you Rin Kagamine?"

"Yes." My one word trembled from my nervousness.

"May I call you...Rin?" he bowed down low to me respectfully as he spoke, keeping his eyes trained on me.

"Yes. No need to bow," I added quickly. I tried to pull him up from his bow.

He held my hand and planted a quick kiss on it, looking up at me to see my reaction. The boy smiled warmly at me. "Of course," he continued as he stood up again.

"And would you be Rei Kagene?"

"Yes, I would be him. At your service as my ruler's right hand man, close friend, and partner, Rin."

"Will you show me where I am to stay for the night, Rei?"

"Yes, Rin. I will lead you. And as for your chaperone here, she can stay in the town's hotel here, free of charge." Rei gestured to an extravagant building situated in the center of a large plot of land, with beautiful gardens and lush greenery. Luka wouldn't be able to refuse some time off. I nodded to Luka as she waited for my approval, and she waltzed away towards the hotel joyfully, leaving me to Rei.

"And follow me, Rin." Rei led me into the large gates of what seemed like a royal residence in the mainland bay kingdom.

"It's my ruler's castle," Rei explained briefly to me, leading me into the enormous castle.

I nodded, absorbing each piece of information he talked about, pointing out certain places in the castle for me to see as we strolled by.

"And my ruler's name is Len. He looks an awful lot like you. You both share the same hair color, surname, and eye color, as well as being similar heights. Len is a bit shorter than me, though. He's the same age as you, as well," Rei described to me upon arriving at my quarters' doors.

"Ah, we've arrived. These are to be your quarters, Rin." Rei opened the door to a fair-sized bedroom complete with furniture and a fireplace. There were a desk and a lamp in the corner of the room, five windows that allowed plenty of sunlight to stream into the room, a wardrobe space, and a bathroom fit for a princess, which, in this case, was me.

"The ruler wishes to meet with you tonight. Len says that although you are here on... terms of foreign affairs, he also would like all his guests to have a good time. I will be leaving now, Rin. I hope you find everything to fit your needs," Rei told me kindly. "And Rin."

I looked at Rei with an expression that told him I was listening.

"If you ever need anything, just call me and I'll be there." And with that, handsome Rei exited my room quickly, leaving me on my own. While I had some time, I would do a little exploring. I changed into a different set of garments meant for trekking, and left my quarters to see the castle.

Or, it was more of me going to my balcony and climbing off of it. I stepped very carefully onto the surprisingly firm roof and minutes later, I had jumped safely all the way down to the ground, which was when I noticed I was not alone.

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**Short chapter-sorry! I hope you enjoyed this so far! It'll be a competition: Rei against Len for Rin! That was Chapter 1. I'm planning on 8 chapters tops for this.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

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**The Secret**

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**A/N: OMBanana I've been dead for so long-sorry! Yep, it's a Rei against Len for Rin! Enjoy the chapter 2~! D**

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**Rin's POV:**

There a boy stood, about my age, with honey blonde hair, just like me. He was just as handsome as Rei, and his bright blue eyes contained traces of amusement in them. His hands were crossed behind his back, and the charming boy grinned at me adorably. Just how many boys would I fall in love with around here at first sight now?

"Nice climbing there, gal," the boy addressed informally as he took my hand and shook it heartily. His face lit up at the sight of me dressed in my journeying clothes. They were comfortable and loose on me, hiding my figure, but it was still blatantly obvious I was a girl.

"Thanks," I nodded to the handsome boy, blushing a bit. I'd just met him, but why did I feel like he was so important to me? I tried to shove away the feeling and put on a smile for the boy, strolling casually towards him, arms swinging by my sides, relaxed. I took a deep breath and looked the boy in the eye.

"Sure thing, gal. Say, who are you? You don't have to tell me your real name; just something I can call you by. I don't want the king to know your name and punish you for sneaking on the roofs of the castle grounds." As he spoke, a smirk appeared on his face, and then it was completely replaced with a look of concern. The knowing glint in his eyes dimmed and darkened.

"Call me..." I bit my lip and pondered this carefully. What did I want to be called? "...Orb." I finally came up with a name. It may have sounded dumb, but the boy nodded at me and agreed on it.

"And call me Gem." Gem smiled goofily at me with his adorable face, which made me blush again. "Say, is your face red?" A giggle crept into his voice, making me nervous. Did he think I'd liked him at first sight?

"From climbing," I replied quickly, carefully covering my face by pulling my hood over my head. I tucked my face into the darkness and the protection of the cloak I was wearing. Nervously, I took some more steps towards him.

"A pleasure to meet you, Gem," I said formally, cautiously shaking his hand and slowly pulling it away. Gem's hand was so soft; lighter and cooler than the plushiest feathers around. His touch calmed and cooled me. The reason behind my interest in this boy was unknown, even to me.

"The pleasure's all mine, Lady Orb." Gem bowed down deep, gracing me with respect; I smiled to myself at this, enjoying his presence. How nice to meet a nice boy around here. Gem stood up from his deep bow and asked me," So would you like to sneak around the castle together? We'll have fun. I know the castle well, and I'll show you the nooks and crannies around here. Come with me, would you?"

After pretending to consider the thought when I wanted to go with him terribly, since I couldn't give him the satisfaction of my agreement so easily, I agreed to go with him. "But on a few conditions," I added quickly.

"What is it? I don't have any friends, so I'd do much of anything," Gem pleaded gently, placing a hand on my arm.

"One: don't touch me unless I allow you permission; I don't know you well yet." I gently grabbed ahold of his arm and plucked it off mine, leaving it hanging loosely but his side. "Next: you must never betray me to the king about this. I am here on different terms, and I would not like to get in trouble with the king, Gem."

"That I can assure you won't get in trouble." Gem nodded kindly at me, a protective and confident air settling over him.

"How?"

"Because I am the ki-" Gem suddenly stopped himself.

"What?"

"Er... eh... I mean, I'm the kinsman of the king. One of them," he breathed, seemingly in relief. Gem put a hand on his chest over his heart, taking a deep breath. It seemed suspicious, but I decided it best not to ask about his problems. Instead, I continued to list my conditions.

"Two more. Next: you have to be my friend."

"Fine with me."

"Last: I have to know that I can put my trust in you. Let's make a promise," I stated firmly, but my knees felt quite the opposite way. I couldn't believe I was actually going to say this. Over a boy I hardly knew but admired his looks and personality instantly. But this would be the test.

"What promise will we make?"

"The king punishes harshly, so it must be a serious, important, memorable promise. Not a pinky promise," I started.

"A handshake? Blood bond? No, too serious..." Gem shook his head

"How about a kiss?" I blurted out, not happy in the least to have finally gotten over arguing with myself over whether to say it or not. I closed my eyes and looked down nervously.

"Then so be it," Gem suddenly spoke up in a low voice, leaning down to me and looking at me. His expression was serious, his tone utterly straight. "It has to be an exchange kiss, then, Orb."

"What...Gem..." I was confused about what had just happened. Had Gem just agreed?

My eyes widened like oranges when I felt warm lips come to meet mine and stay there for an incredibly long time. I swear I could see Gem smile while kissing me, a smirk forming on his face. I could just hear him laughing inside his mind at my sudden surprise, all while enjoying the kiss. It felt like nothing I'd ever experienced before. Wonderful, breathtaking, and long, the kiss was my first.

Hopefully, it wouldn't be my last, either. Because I wanted more. Much more.

When Gem pulled away, surprisingly, he seemed calm and collected. I, on the other hand, found myself flustered and flushed. "Come on. Promise done," Gem nodded solemnly as he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a giant wall in the garden that appeared to be made especially for climbing. I attempted to take a few steps in my breathless state. And then I stumbled, tripped, and my vision clouded until darkness surrounded my sight, blinding me.

"Gem, I can't..." All the bones in my body and the limbs in me stopped working just then, rendering me helpless to the fall that came to meet me. I kissed the ground, hard, with my _face_, and it hurt like nothing I'd ever felt before.

I heard a faint yelp from Gem as he gently caught me and asked me if I was fine. I remembered nodding to him, and felt a light kiss being planted on my head. Voices were heard, and I felt as if I were being carried somewhere. I didn't know reality anymore, as I had passed out completely.

Because of that kiss, a voice grumbled in my head. That I wanted so much more of.

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**So I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry I was so dead for so long! Sorry for short chapters. This will be about 7 chapters total, and that's my plan. *O***

**Questions:**

**1) Guess who Gem really is?**

**2) How does Gem feel towards Rin, or Orb?**

**3) Why is there a climbing wall in the castle garden?**

**;) Until next time! Please ignore if there are any mistakes! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

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**The Mystery Masquerade**

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**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! ^^ Remember, reviews make me update faster! The more reviews, the faster the updates. :)**

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**Rin's POV:**

The sound of water rushing pulsed in my ears. I felt weak and warm, and I couldn't see anything. Couldn't see anything?! Oh, yes, I forgot to open my eyes. My set of cerulean blinkers flickered open instantly when the sound of water grew louder. "Ugh..." I groaned painfully, rubbing my forehead soothingly. Why did my head hurt so terribly?

I felt too weak to make any attempt to sit all the way up, so I lazily lay in what looked like my bed. But of course, it wasn't. It was a much grander, larger mattress, with plusher, softer pillows, and cool, silky blankets. Where was I? Questions ran endlessly through my head. I took a few moments to observe more details around the room. The curtains were only slightly open, allowing a small amount of sunlight to peek into the room. These were by far the largest sleeping quarters I had ever been in; they even surpassed the size of mine back home in the castle.

I could still hear the water sound, only now, it was much more faint. I saw doors to what appeared to be a bathroom to be slightly ajar, giving me a good view of the interior. The water sound appeared to come from the bathroom. I heard the loud sigh of a familiar voice come from inside the bathroom, not even hidden by the water sound. The voice-it was Gem!

What was Gem doing inside this grand room? Was it his? It looked like a room fit for royalty-not some lowly peasant. It looked, I had to say, fit for a king.

"Gem!" I called to him loudly, trying to drown out the sound of the water. Was Gem-taking a shower? I had to find out for myself. Wait-but if he was, I'd see him undressed! Well, I had to satisfy my curiosity about Gem, so I hopped off my bed lightly, careful not too move too quickly so that I would not risk breaking any of my limbs. Gem had not replied to my call yet.

Step by step, I inched towards the bathroom doors, wondering and wondering about this strange room. And then I finally approached the doors, and peered in cautiously, careful not to let my hair hang out in plain sight, holding it back with my hands gently. What I saw astounded me. Or rather, made me feel embarrassed to the point of death.

Gem was undressed! Eek! I did my best not to squeal, but a small "eep" bubbled out from my lips, making me regret ever looking into the bathroom. I hoped he hadn't heard me. But by far, Gem was... handsome. Oh, Rin! Ugh! What am I doing, meddling in and out of this? I can't look at other people while they're stark naked! I took a deep breath and put my hand over my heart to calm myself down.

Why had I just done that? Dumb, nosy me. I sighed again at the thought of how handsome Gem was... Ah! I yelled at my vulgar side. Why was I so incredibly torn? Stop falling in love with these incredibly handsome and nice boys, Rin! I smacked my forehead, blushing when I remembered how Gem looked... I couldn't stop myself...

While I was thinking, I realized I was still standing at the door, and the sound of water had long since stopped. I turned around to see if Gem was still in there, and I came to meet a faceful of him, grinning devilishly at me, making a knowing face.

"You saw me, didn't you?" I yelped upon seeing Gem stand directly in front of me, surprised he had known.

"No, I didn't..."

"Then why are you standing here, Orb?"

"I wanted to see... I mean... I didn't...ugh..." I slapped my forehead and sighed hopelessly. What was I going to say?

"And why is your face so red?" Gem's grin widened, and I couldn't suppress a sudden giggle. He looked so funny. Hair wet, dressed in royal clothes,...and... wait! Dressed in royal clothes?!

"Because I feel like I'm going through a fever?" It came out as a question instead of a confident, firm statement, earning me an even wider grin from Gem. Why were boys so puzzling at times?

"Well, if you saw me, don't worry, Orb. We're equal now." Gem giggled slightly, leaning against the wall.

"What? How? We only kissed, Gem!" I tried to argue cluelessly, but of course, I'd wondered. How...

"Haven't you noticed? You're wearing different clothes." Gem suggested this casually, as if he did this all the time, telling people strange things.

"I'm..." I looked down and gasped. I _was _wearing a different set of clothes! How?

"I changed your clothes for you, Orb," Gem said to me, as if reading my thoughts.

"Why, Gem?" I blushed deeply. He'd seen me? My heartbeat sped up. How dare he disrespect the princess... oh, yes. He had no idea I was the rule of a neighboring kingdom...

"I couldn't risk any of the people around the castle caring for you and asking too many questions, so I took on the duties myself. I tended your wounds and treated them. I realized you were going through a fever and placed you in my own... I mean my king's bed."

"The king?!"

"Yes. Let's say he's going to let you use this bed for as long as you like... King Len's kindest wishes towards you have been expressed. Lay down," Gem told me.

"The king...?" Puzzled, I walked over the bed and laid down on it carefully, as to not damage my limbs anymore. I looked up, expecting to see the bare ceiling, but instead, I saw Gem's attractive face staring down kindly at me, arms leaning on the bed, creating a kind of trap over me. I flushed with embarrassment, and I was pretty sure Gem could see all of it.

"Where's your room?" he asked gently.

"Third floor, seventh room on the right of the main stairwell."

"Oh, I know where that is. It's one of the grand guest rooms. For royalty and- I mean, for guests. I'll carry you there so that when maids come to clean this room, they won't find you here. They'll suspect the king has been up to trouble again, ... I mean-Err... never mind. I'll take you there." Gem stood up fully and stretched a hand out to me to take.

I nodded and clasped it, then Gem pulled me up, and I lost my balance, landing on him. We burst into giggles and had a laughing fit over that. Secretly, my heart was beating at a thousand miles in my chest from making such close contact with him. Gem then pulled me up again, wiped his glistening eyes of laughing tears, then carried me bridal style up and held me there.

"You're light," Gem said to me after a while, unsurprised. "I expected that. It won't take long to get you there. This is on the fourth level, so your room is only a floor away. I know another secret way to get there. Let's go." He got a better hold of me, and started walking towards the door.

"I'll need you to open doors for me," Gem informed me, smiling.

"Sure," I agreed easily, and pulled the door open, letting Gem step out into the hallway before he turned to face the door again and I closed it firmly shut quietly.

"Close your eyes," Gem told me. "It'll be dark, and you won't be able to see anyways. It's a secret passage within the castle walls."

I did as he instructed, and closed my eyes. After about what I estimated to be ten minutes, I hear Gem's voice tell me to open my eyes. He let me down from his back and I tenderly stood up.

There we were, standing in my room. "How long has it been since the afternoon time we met?" I asked Gem, afraid that I had missed the masquerade ball for today.

"Three hours."

"Oh, thank oranges. I still have one hour until my masquerade," I sighed, relieved. "I must get dressed. Will you be at the masquerade?" I asked Gem hopefully.

"I won't."

My head hung low.

"But King Len will," Gem added. "He will welcome you there, and I'm sure you two will become the best of friends, Orb," Gem hopefully continued.

"But I don't want to spend time with King Len, Gem! I want to see you at the masquerade!" I whined. "I don't know this King Len, whoever he is! How can I trust him?"

"You already do. And I will be there. I changed my mind. But you won't see me. I'll be watching you behind a hidden face," Gem mysteriously decided aloud. He pat my back lightly. "Get some rest. Then dress for the masquerade. The king will be expecting you. And don't try to find me; that will cause uproar among the castle dwellers."

"But-"

"No buts," Gem concluded firmly. "Lay down for a while, or you can get dressed now. If you want me to, I'll stay and watch you change," Gem said goofily, a joking tone creeping into his words.

"No, Gem!" I whined, a smile on my face, as I lightly touched him with a pillow on my bed.

"Then we'll be uneven again, Orb, and you can see me," Gem told me, smirking slyly all the while.

"Do you think... do you think I want to?" I asked, blushing furiously.

"What about that first time you saw me, hm, Orb?" Gem's face took on a satisfied look as he giggled slightly, watching me turn red even more than I already was. My heartbeat sped up again. Why had I taken such a liking to Gem?

"Forget... forget about that," my voice said, shaking to the point of another fainting episode. That kiss was what made me faint, and then I got too warm, which led to a fever.

"Okay. So why did you faint after or "'promise'"? Gem stressed the word "promise" in his sentence. He raised his eyebrows at me.

"My first kiss...?"

"Oh, your first?"

"Yes. What about you?"

"My first too. Yes, to be honest, I had to keep myself from passing out myself. It was a wonderful... 'promise'." Gem licked his lips strangely. Okay, now that was incredibly strange...

"Anyways, you should probably leave my room now, please. I must get prepared," I decided swiftly.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Gem suggested, a silly grin plastered on his face. "And... make sure you're fine?"

Gem had stressed those last words too much. "No, Gem!" I punched him lightly. "Now leave!" I ordered, laughing. I was slightly embarrassed that he wanted to stay, but he had to go so I could get dressed for the ball.

"Yes, my greatest apologies, Orb," Gem bowed to me as he tiptoed out of the room. A few seconds after he'd disappeared behind my door, I looked out into the hall. Gem had vanished without a trace. Quick, he was, too. What a charming-wait! I banged my head with my hand, upset with myself. I couldn't fall in love with him! No, I was here on business terms, and I was determined to find out why the king had killed my father.

I unpacked the rest of my luggage I brought with me, and made myself at home in my quarters, fixing up every single detail I could. Just because I was royalty didn't mean I idn't know how to clean properly. I was independent as well. I could even survive without Luka.

I put on my nicest gown. It was yellow, with golden ribbons hanging at the waist, a golden rose on each shoulder, and it was sleeveless, almost. The dress fabric ended at my bicep. Comfortable it felt as well. No itchiness? Check.

I clipped my flower clips into my hair to match my gown, and put on my little bow. Oh, how I adored my bow. I finally set off to go to find the ballroom myself after almost forgetting to grab my mask.

Minutes later, I arrived easily at the ballroom, with its brightly lit ceiling, elaborate furnishings, and decorated walls. Golden, just like me, was the color of the large room. A servant welcomed me to the room.

"Welcome; you must be Lady Rin! It is a pleasure to have you here, Princess! I would like to introduce you to the King, King Len!" The servant stepped back to reveal a boy in golden clothes, matching mine so much, it was as if our outfits were made for each other. The boy looked strikingly attractive, and he wore a mask of gold as well, like mine. I could see his eyes; blue and bright, exactly like Gem's. Exactly like Gem's.

But of course, it couldn't be Gem, right? I stepped up to the king and put on my serious voice, extremely different from the one I used to communicate with Gem. "Greetings, King Len. I am the Princess of the Bay, Princess Rin, or also known as _Queen_ Rin." I emphasized the "queen" firmly, speaking in a menacing tone. My voice was filled with venom. I had just greeted my father's killer. I had to hate this boy, but somehow, his extreme similarities to Gem couldn't make me.

He was the exact same height and stature as Gem, the same eye color. King Len spoke to me in reply, bowing down and taking my hand for a kiss.

"A pleasure to have you here, Queen Rin." Good, he had used my formal title. He respected me. That was good to know. His voice was deeper than Gem's, but still sounded like Gem in a way.

"I know we have business to discuss, King Len."

"Yes, but wouldn't you mind having a good time, first?"

"Well, if you insist, then I shall."

"Shall we dance, then?" Dance with somebody I didn't know? Fine, I'd do it. To get close to him, and then kill him the way he did my father. Yes, a betrayal. That sounded wonderful to me. Such a cunning and evil idea! I laughed to myself evilly.

"Yes, King Len." I took his outstretched hand and gasped slightly. It felt the same way as Gem's hand! So soft, so cool... I loved his hands... But I couldn't-I couldn't like this king for real. I had to kill him by betrayal. Stick to the plan. I could not fall in love or like this king in any way. Because in a matter of days, he would no longer exist.

"Something the matter, Queen Rin?" King Len asked me, clearly concerned for me.

"Please, call me Rin. And no, thank you for asking, but nothing is the matter," I replied. The first step to making friends. Have them call you an informal and familiar name.

"Then call me Len, Rin." He grabbed my hand tighter, and I felt different...somehow. This couldn't be Gem! It wasn't! I tried hopelessly to convince myself.

I found myself dancing with Len later, enjoying myself greatly. I laughed and almost forgot I was going to kill Len. Len smiled a satisfied smile at me, clearly pleased I was having a good time.

Everything passed in a blur, and before I knew it, the dance was over, and we had to switch partners. Lost in the moment, I drifted away from Len happily and felt like I was in a dream, having danced with such a gentle, kind, generous prince...

I fell into the arms of Rei while switching: Len's friend. Once again, I was captivated by another boy, and I sighed contentedly. I loved it when I got what I liked. Like all the boys... No! I couldn't let myself fall in love with anybody. I had to remember the plan. I snapped myself back to reality and took Rei's hand. He kissed my hand and bowed low, even lower than when Len bowed to me.

And with a voice like golden honey, he greeted me kindly. "It's nice to see you again, Rin. I was wondering if you enjoyed your stay at the castle so far?" Rei looked up at me with dark, admirable eyes. I had a feeling he was trying to do more than just make sure I was fine... I shook the thought off. No, this was too strange.

Straightening myself out, and blanking out the thoughts of how weirdly Rei had spoken to me just now, I replied sweetly to Rei with a calm tone," Thank you, Rei. My stay here so far has been... interesting." I was considering my adventure through the castle with Gem earlier today.

"May I have this dance for now with you?" Rei requested, standing up straight.

"Of course you may," I answered immediately. I could probably bring Rei to my kingdom and give him a home there when Len died, but I still felt sorry for even thinking of killing Rei's only friend and part-brother.

As Rei danced with me, he whispered sweet comments into my ear about how beautiful I looked this evening, making me blush each time, and I smiled at him as well. My heartbeats came faster from the close contact I made with him. While all the other couples danced like strangers, straying quite far from each other despite the fact that they were right next to each other, I was so close to Rei that I was literally pressed up against him, my heat seeping onto him as well.

Rei, I thought, could probably feel it, too. I could smell his intoxicating vanilla scent that I so adored. I couldn't love anybody! My mind continued to argue with me. I had a quiet mental argument with myself until I won, smiling triumphantly. Rei noticed my smile and asked me," Enjoying yourself with me, Rin?"

"Yes, Rei," I immediately replied to him. Oh, how sweet his voice was. I loved hearing Rei speak, and Gem as well. And how I could think this, I didn't know, but in a way, I felt something towards the king as well that I did not wish to admit to myself.

The music stopped, the dance ended, and Rei let go of me, making me disappointed. I wanted to be with him more and... no, I couldn't think that. This feelings war was conflicting with the real purpose I had taken the trip to the mainland. I looked longingly back at Rei, who caught my eye and winked purposefully at me, then strode away. It was time to start dinner.

_Time skip_

After dinner, the maids cleaned up the table with the servants, and I approached the king to begin our talk about my father. Len had been putting it off for too long now. A whole afternoon was enough, especially for the bay princess. "Len," I began as I cleared my throat, hoping to get his attention.

"Yes, Rin?" Len turned to me, still wearing his mask. So was I.

"I would like to speak with you about my father," I answered him solemnly, giving him the message. It got to him.

"Ah, yes... Let us speak in private, shall we?" Len ushered me to another room, pushing my waist towards the hallway.

"Len. Please, don't touch me," I requested Len politely. I did not take to being touched by someone I hadn't even gotten to see the face of. At least show your face, Len.

"Oh, sorry, Rin. I just wanted to make this quick," Len responded, a look of disappointment apparent in his bright blue eyes, and present in his tone was a slight... whining tone as well? I couldn't tell. That mask didn't just hide his face and expression, but he was also good at hiding his feelings behind his mask of a voice.

"It's fine. Show me the way, would you, Len?"

"Yes, Rin. Let us go in here. My main study," Len added while approaching the door of a room and yanking it gently open. I entered the room. Dark and large, I couldn't see anything when Len closed the door behind us. "Len?" I called, wondering where he could be.

"Here, Rin." The lamps in the study flickered on. So, the bay kingdom was not the only advanced civilization around. The mainland seemed to be quite ahead of their time as well. Admirable. We would gain a formidable enemy.

I saw Len standing in front of me, just close enough that if it was still dark, we would have collided with each other. "My father, Len. You have heard of his condition, have you?" I asked, testing him.

"Yes," Len said to me in a monotone. I couldn't tell what he was feeling at all. I couldn't see his expression, neither tell what tone he was using. A master of disguise in every single way Len was.

"What is it?"

"He is not well," Len told me, as if my father were still alive.

"You mean he is deceased," I corrected Len. Was he pretending? At this rate, I'd never be able to crack him.

"Ah, yes, Rin."

"Do you know the reason for his death?"

"No."

"There are rumors that you have... taken actions that have caused his unfortunate demise..." I paced Len's main study, pretending to observe his books and objects.

"I have heard those. I deny them. They are lies; all lies," Len calmly stated.

"I am not making any accusations, Len. I just want you to tell me, do you..." I caught Len looking somewhere else.

"Len!" Still, he would not look at me. It seemed as if he were distracted and did not want to pay attention to me.

I stepped close to him, so close that I could feel his breath on me. For some reason, it had started feeling a bit cold in here...

I would have to take extreme measures. I reached up towards his face with my arm and swiftly lifted Len's mask off his face. "Rin!" Len shouted at me, covering his face with another mask in his pocket before I had gotten a chance to see any of it. He had come prepared! I threw his old mask on the ground, furious at Len.

"What? What is it, Len? Spit it out!" I demanded him.

"One, don't take off my mask. Two, don't touch me either, unless I let you. Three, Rin. I am incredibly surprised you haven't noticed. This is the exact reason I haven't been staring at you! Your dress has come loose!" Len gestured to me, and I could see the blush in his eyes and on his ears as he looked at me. He had to tear his gaze away in annoyance.

"What?" I looked down. Len was right! That was why I had felt a draft earlier! My dress bottom had come loose! So I only had on the own top, but the dress part was missing! Embarrassed, I tried to cover myself, but had nothing to cover myself with. Why was this the second time today I had been seen like this?

"Rin, here. Take my coat." Len took off his coat and wrapped it around my waist. "Your dress might have been too large for you, or you could have been too skinny. I'll take you to your room. And Rin, I didn't not kill your father. I swear on my life I would never kill even if I wanted to." :Len carried me bridal style, the exact same way Gem had done with me. It felt exactly the same; the comfort, the grip, the hold, the warmth. It was all the same. But it couldn't be Gem once again.

I hadn't even seen Gem for entire ball! The only person I had seen like Gem was the one carrying me up to my room right now! Wait. How had Len known where my room was? Len dropped me down in my sleeping quarters gently and got ready to take off and go, but I grabbed Len by the wrist tightly.

"Len... how do you know where my room is? I haven't told you yet," I asked curiously, suspecting something.

"Err... well...," Len seemed unsure of what to say. "I... just know where all of my guests reside in my own home. After all, it is my own home, right?"

I nodded agreeably. That made sense. "But why haven't you taken off your mask?" I inquired.

"Why haven't you?" Len asked me in return in a suggestive tone. "Well, I believe maybe we can really meet at a better time. And I'm terribly sorry for your loss. If there's anything I can do to help you get through it, I will," Len politely continued. He walked to me and came in close, giving me a warm, friendly hug that attracted me to him instantly.

I couldn't hate Len anymore. I knew he truly meant it. I could, of course, tell when somebody was lying, and even though Len was good at hiding his feelings, I could tell, this was not one of those times where a lie was being told. It was genuine, then. I immediately abandoned my plans of death or betrayal to poor Len as soon as he wished me good night and left my quarters.

I stood there, dazed. He smelled, felt, and looked in every way like Gem. But maybe they could be twins-right? Gem had said Len was his kinsman. He'd never said he was the king. So it couldn't be true.

As I started to prepare my bath and undress, I'd realized that Len had left his coat with me. I'd have remember to return it to him later. I smelled it and took in Len's scent. I had now forgotten all plans of attack and war. But my kingdom was expecting to start a war now. How could I get the message back to them? Wouldn't they be disappointed in me? For now, I was here to make friends and gain an ally. Change of plans, bay kingdom.

Kind Len. Sweet Gem. Attractive Rei. Wait-I couldn't take a liking to three separate boys! I slammed my head against the wall, annoyed with myself. Why was it so easy for me to take a liking to so many boys? Was it just that the charm of all the mainland boys was incredibly strong? I smacked my forehead and sighed.

How in the world was I torn between all these boys?

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**Hope you enjoyed! I'll update ASAP next time. ^^ I think this is my longest chapter so far? Remember, review review review. (Unless you're one of those silent readers that are shy or something. :) ) But still, reviews make me update faster! I love reviews. I read all of them and always care about all my readers ( not in the weird way, mind you ^^ ), and I love my readers! Thank you. D**

**Please ignore any mistakes, sorry, hehe... *_***

**Answers to previous questions:**

**1) Yep, Gem is Len! ^^**

**2) Gem wants Rin to be his friend and maybe even more... (bwahaha **)**

**3) Gem/Len loves to climb and had it built for his own enjoyment as king.**

**More questions now!**

**1) What is Rei trying to do to Rin? (bwahaha **)**

**2) How long will it be into the course of a week will Rin finally realize Len and Gem are the same person? (ex: 3 days, the nest day, 5 days, etc. can be the answer format)**

**3) When will Len and Rei get competitive over Rin in the course of a week? (same answer format, because it will be before the end of one week)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

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**The Festival**

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**A/N: Okie dokey, here's chapter 4, y'all! Rei's POV is in this one this time, so here ya go! This will be a nice one! Hehe! D**

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**Rin's POV:**

That night, I headed out to sneak around the castle again after washing myself and dressing in my plain clothes. Carrying my pouch with me, I scurried away from my room, remembering to shut my door gently. I had to climb that wonderful mother of all climbing walls! I was a big fan of climbing! How much did I love climbing?

I loved climbing enough to put it on my list of things I loved right next to my lover if I had one! I ran into a dead end. Was I lost? Oh, oranges! I kicked the wall, and a jolt of pain jerked rapidly through my body. I fell in supposedly slow motion. I was heading for the ground for the second time today... not again. I waited to feel the cold hard stone meet my stomach, but once again, just like that, the impact never came.

My eyes were closed shut, and my teeth were clenched tightly together, as I was expecting the force to come hard this time. But where was it? The air filled with the scent of bananas, strangely, and then I felt two warm arms wrap firmly around my waist, saving me from the impact I had been expecting. Could it be?

I popped one eye open, and my heart did a little dance in my tiny chest. There Gem was, standing over me, holding me up from the ground, smiling like my little accident was as funny as him seeing me embarrassed. I smiled in return and hopped out of his arms, limping from the pain of my throbbing foot. I bent over and rubbed my foot soothingly, trying to ease the pain.

"Are you okay, Ri- um... I mean, Orb?" Gem put his arm around me, supporting me as much he could. It was quite easy for him, him being strong and fit. I shifted some of my weight onto him, and he seemed to take it pretty well.

"Yes, I'm fine, Gem. Thank you," I replied earnestly to Gem, smiling at him like I was some kind of idiot, but I didn't care. He was sweet and that was all I cared about. I didn't want to strike destruction and death upon this kingdom and its occupants anymore. I was done with that.

"What are you doing here at this time, Orb?" Gem's voice took on a curious tone. He nodded towards me.

"Well, I wanted to climb the large climbing wall in the garden." I decided to tell the truth. I nodded at Gem honestly.

He took me seriously. "Come here, Rin. I want to show you something," Gem rattled away. I could barely hear him. Gem seemed so excited... I wondered in my head.

Gem started to walk me swiftly towards a wall. "Secret passage," Gem explained to me upon seeing my bewildered look. I nodded agreeably and watched. Gem took out a small stone from his pants pocket and inserted it into a small indentation in the wall. It slid open to reveal an opening in the plain wall, a secret passage, as Gem had said.

"How did you...?"

"As I said, Orb, I'm the king's kinsman. I have all the keys to the secret passages in the castle and know every single nook and cranny here, inside out. If we were to play hide-and-seek here, I guarantee I would be able to find you in less than ten minutes." Gem grinned at me confidently, and we continued into the passage, Gem patiently making sure I could keep up with him every step of the way. How kind Gem was! I sighed quietly enough so that it wasn't loud enough for Gem to hear me.

I was extremely glad that it was dark in the passage we were travelling in, because I was very sure that from the way my mouth was aching, I was smiling like some dummy... I felt warm and loved with Gem's familiar arm around me. I held on to his arm tighter, and I could've sworn I heard a small happy squee come from Gem... I giggled to myself happily as we continued on in the tunnel.

_Time skip_

We emerged from the dark tunnel after about five more minutes of walking. Even though I had been using Gem as support for the entire time, my legs felt like jelly, which meant Gem must have been feeling even worse as we stumbled into the bright moonlight of the courtyard garden.

He didn't look too bad, though, but I still tried my best to support myself. I stood up, and before me stood the gigantic climbing wall, towering over me and blocking out some of the moonlight as we approached it. "Here it is," Gem started.

I breathed out words. "Wow..."

"I know. The king had it built for contests, his own enjoyment, and to share the joy with others. He loves being generous."

"Can I climb it?"

"You must get permission from the king."

"Can you ask him?"

"No. But I can show you something..." Gem grinned at me. "The king is holding a fireworks festival for the night."

"Why?"

"Why, to welcome his visitor, of course! He would like to give a warm hand to his neighboring ruler!" Gem clapped his hands as though a fireworks show was the best thing in the world, which, to me, it was on that list as well, so yes.

"Me?"

"Yes, you!" I gasped in delight as I heard a popping noise coming from high above me.

I looked up just in time to see several sparks of something bright drop from the air before they disappeared from sight at last. Fireworks! I smiled at Gem.

"Did you tell Len to do this for me?" I inquired in a sly voice, crossing my arms and grinning at Gem.

"Nah," Gem replied goofily, waving his hand at me. I could still tell he was joking, though.

"I know, Gem," I told Gem. He suddenly perked like a dog on guard. Had I touched a sore subject for him?

"Know what?"

"That you told the king to do this for me," I said to Gem plainly.

"Oh."

I watched the fireworks explode in the sky with beauty and light. I loved every second of it. When was the last time anybody threw a fireworks festival in my honor? Never. I was touched. Len had just met me, and had decided to throw a fireworks festival with me? How sweet of him! And here I was, enjoying it with Gem instead.

"Let's sit," Gem offered me, and we took a seat together down at the nearest bench in the courtyard garden, enjoying the wonder of the fireworks bursting with radiance in the night sky above us. It was peaceful and nice out, but I felt a bit cold. I shivered, and Gem impulsively scooted closer to me and put an arm around me, pressing his side to mine, warming me instantly.

A thought suddenly occurred to me just then. How...

"Gem."

"Yes?"

"How did you know I was royalty when I didn't tell you?" I was very suspicious. Something wasn't right here. Shouldn't the king be here? And yet, Len wasn't. But Gem was here.

"Len told me, of course."

"How do I know you are truly Len's kinsman?" Len looked at me blankly, unsure of what to say. He let his gaze drift to the courtyard ground, and it stayed there for a while.

Just then, a servant rushed to kneel at Gem's feet, out of nowhere. "My king," he started. "What would you like to do next, your majesty?"

I looked at Gem in shock. Did that servant just call Gem... the king?

"Shush your mouth! I told you not to call me that! I am not the king!" Gem tried to whisper-shout to the servant, but he remained kneeling on the ground at Gem's feet. "Go away."

"So you aren't the king?" I asked Gem curiously, confused.

"eh...let's enjoy the fireworks here, shall we?" Gem nervously suggested me, facepalming.

But Gem could be the king, right? Same eyes, same height, same feel, same smell... I just didn't know the king's face yet. Of course! It all made sense!

"Len," I started confidently, having finally coming to a conclusion. Len now, winced from the sudden change in his known name. "You are the king and you can't deny it. Why?" My voice was filled with question.

"I... I...look, Rin." Len stressed my name greatly at the end of his words. "I don't want you to like me or make friends with me because I'm the king. I want people to respect me and like me because of who I am, not for my title. You are included as well."

I was speechless. Yes, I had liked Len for who he was, not his title. So that meant he had succeeded.

"Rin, it's cold out here. Let's get you into warmer clothes. Get inside." It was an order from Len, King Len.

We headed inside when the fireworks show ended.

_Time skip_

I stood in my room and did a twirl, looking at myself wearing a dress in the mirror. I looked wonderful! The dress was a bit loose, but looked fine overall... wasn't that right? "Ready!" I called to Len through my room door. He burst in and then there was a draft. Oh goodness oranges... not again... I had a dreadful feeling just then. I expected it to happen once again... Looking down, once again, my dress had come loose for the second time in a row today. How embarrassing! Why did that seriously have to happen?

I squeaked and tried to cover myself.

"Oh, Rin, you have to eat more..." Len _tsked_ and shook his head, looking away from me.

"But I'm never really hungry!" I whined defiantly.

"Yes, but you're too skinny! You _have_ to eat more! You can't have your clothes slipping off of you _all_ the time!" Len gestured to my small, thin frame, being sure not to look. I guess I _did_ look a _little_ underweight...? Okay, a _lot_. I had to admit it...

"Okay..." I gave up trying to argue.

"And then you cansee _me_ again..." Len's voice trailed off mischievously. He smiled at me, looking somewhere other than me. So the king had a troublemaker side, too...

I made a face at Len, but I remembered he couldn't see it. That frustrated me. "Len, could you close the door?"

Len quickly closed my door, dashed over to my bed, picked up a blanket, and wrapped it around me. That reminded me...

"Len."

"Yes?" I reached for Len's coat on my dresser.

"Here," I breathed while handing Len the coat. "Thank you for allowing me to use it earlier... I'm honored that the king has let me use his own personal belongings..." I trailed off and bowed to Len respectfully, adding a wink in.

"Rin." Len's voice sounded firm and serious. Then he burst into small giggles, covering his mouth. "Sorry, sorry.."

I looked at Len blankly, waiting for him to finish.

"You don't need to respect me that much. Treat me like a normal person. Like you treated me when you knew me as Gem, okay? Speak casually with me. I don't need to be treated like a king, honestly. I'm quite informal myself... I couldn't have kept up the charade with you any longer than a day as a nice, formal king..." Len chuckled quietly and waved off the thought.

"Can we come to an understanding then?"

"Yes."

"So you did not kill my father?"

"No, not at all. But I do have my investigators looking into it for you." Len nodded confidently.

I started to go over to my wardrobe and pick out a tighter-fitting outfit. Len turned away as I started to dress again, pulling off the rest of the large dress and putting it aside. It was too loose anyways. When I was finished, I walked to Len and touched his shoulder lightly.

"Thank you. Where were you going to take me?" I asked Len curiously, interested in where he had planned to take me.

"I was going to... er...well...em... forget about it." Len shook his head and waved away the subject. "It's late, but I do hope you enjoyed the fireworks earlier. I designed them especially for you. I worked with Rei as well."

"You... designed them?" I questioned, astonished. How did one design and... engineer fireworks?

"With help. My servants did most of the work, though," Len added shyly, his gaze coming to rest on the floor of my room. "And... so you're not angry that I lied to you about who I was?"

"No." I replied warmly.

"Well, I guess you _did_ lie to me as well," Len mused.

"Well, Len. When my foot recovers, may I climb your wall with you?" I inquired eagerly.

"Yes. Of course. I'll have a look at your foot every day. Hopefully you haven't broken any toes of yours." Len smirked at me. He tucked me into bed; it was quite strange, having a king tuck me into bed. "Well, you must rest now. It's getting late. I have to go as well. Sleep well, princess," Len quietly told me, starting towards the door as soon as he finished.

"Wait!" My arm reached for Len; I had to do one last thing for him. I was going to reconsider from the craziness of my idea... but my feet wouldn't reconsider to stop carrying myself. They had a mind of their own.

"Yes, Rin? What do you need?" Len stopped in his tracks just then.

With much effort, I pushed myself out of my bed and ran up to Len, careful not to strain my foot too much. Even if I hurt my foot, it was worth it; for Len. I kissed Len on the cheek and stood there for a while. I wasn't in love...right? What else could this feeling be, then?

Wait... what had I just done? Shocked at what I had just done to the king, I stopped the kiss. My heart beat wildly. What... was this feeling?

As I pulled back, I saw a light pink dust his cheeks. And then Len pulled me to him for a real kiss...

**Rei's POV:**

I must soil Len. No! Rin must love me instead! What should I do? I thought of all these things as I stood behind Rin's slightly open door, full of jealousy, watching the two... kiss. Disgusting! I should be in Len's place right now! I knew Rin since childhood! We were friends! But how had she forgotten me?

But... had it been.. the accident? Her memory had been erased? I had never seen Rin after that day... until now. And she was beautiful. I couldn't fight back the tears...

You may think you're my friend, Len, but you have no idea... Rin is mine. And I _will_ get her, no matter what. My tears burned my cheeks.

I wondered why killing her father wasn't enough to bring us two together... I strolled away from the door casually, a new plan starting forming in my mind. I laughed at the clever, fresh scheme taking shape... yes... it will work. I never fail.

And I don't lose. Not to Len.

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**Now you see! D Yeah... and now the answers! ^^**

**1) Rei is trying to have Rin all to himself...**

**2) Rin finally found out! **

**3) Well... starting a couple of days!**

**Sorry I'm making Rei the bad guy... he's actually one of my favorites! ^^' Enjoy! Till next time, and sorry it took so long... Happy belated New Year! :)**

**[I apologize in advance for any mistakes!]**


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